Peru · Cusco
Acclimatise slowly in Cusco, explore Inca terraces in the Sacred Valley, then take the train to Machu Picchu for a morning visit.
Day 1 · Lima
Arrive, sleep off the flight in Miraflores and have ceviche for dinner.
Day 2 · Cusco
At 3,400 m, do very little on day one. Drink water, skip alcohol.
Getting there Lima to Cusco, 1h20 flight.
Day 3 · Cusco
Walking tour of the Inca walls and the Qorikancha temple.
Day 4 · Cusco
Megalithic walls above the city and the artisans’ quarter.
Day 5 · Urubamba
Descend to a lower, warmer valley via Pisac market and ruins.
Getting there 1.5 hours by private driver or colectivo.
Day 6 · Urubamba
Two of the valley’s most photogenic sites, then the fortress of Ollantaytambo.
Day 7 · Aguas Calientes
Scenic train along the Urubamba river; afternoon at the hot springs.
Getting there Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, 1.5 hours. Book with PeruRail or Inca Rail.
Day 8 · Cusco
First bus up, timed circuit tickets, then the train and road back to Cusco.
Getting there Train plus bus back to Cusco takes about 4 hours.
Keep planning
Japan
The classic first trip to Japan by train: four nights in Tokyo, a ryokan night in Hakone, then Kyoto’s temples and Osaka’s food.
Portugal · Lisbon
Three days of miradouros, pastéis de nata and tram rides, with a half-day in Sintra and a sunset in Belém.
Iceland
A full clockwise loop of Route 1 with realistic driving days: the south coast waterfalls, glacier lagoon, the East Fjords, Mývatn and Snæfellsnes.